Conventionally, a radiator for use in automobile engine-cooling systems and a condenser for use in automobile air-conditioning systems are separately mounted on an automobile body such that the condenser is arranged in front of the radiator.
On the other hand, in order to reduce the steps for mounting these heat exchangers to the automobile body and its labor hours, it is proposed to share a header by the radiator and the condenser.
According to the former structure wherein the radiator and the condenser are separately mounted on the automobile body, it is difficult to decrease the thickness as a whole heat exchanger including the radiator and the condenser, resulting in a thick integrated heat exchanger. Furthermore, since the radiator and the condenser are juxtaposed fore and aft, i.e., in an air-flow direction, it is difficult to reduce the air-pressure loss across the whole heat exchanger.
According to the latter structure wherein a header is shared by the radiator and the condenser, the steps for maintaining and/or replacing the radiator and/or the condenser increase. Furthermore, since such a special header structure is employed, a forming die corresponding to the special structure should be newly manufactured, resulting in an increased equipment cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an integrated heat exchanger including different kinds of heat exchangers which is low in manufacturing cost, small in thickness and air-pressure loss, easy in maintenance and/or replacement and excellent in performance.